Come and Rescue Me
by Vive Amore
Summary: When a relative of a CSI becomes the latest victim in a series of crimes, the team jumps on board to help solve the case. But the closer they get, the more dangerous it becomes. It's not until they're moments away from finding out who's behind it all that things take a turn for the worse, when one of their own gets stuck in the crossfire.
1. Chapter 1

_Hi there :3 So it's been a super long time since I've ever written anything so this might kinda fail. I apologize in advance if it does haha. I checked it over multiple times and it should be proof read and what not but if you find a mistake, feel free to point it out._

_So the format of it might be a little confusing? If you've ever seen the show Revenge, you might understand the setup. For those who haven't, basically this is the intro/present time and the story will work up to this moment. So I guess you could say I'm starting with the climax and working my way back to it? Yeah. I'm rambling now so I'll stop. _

_I'm planning to include multiple characters/pairings but I won't lie, it will be focused around Greg Sanders and Morgan Brody cause I love them and I ship Morganders so hard it hurts. Otp 3. But I will include others such as Nick, Sara, DB, Finn, Hodges, Henry, David, etc. If there's anyone or any pairing you'd like to see, lemme know and maybe we can work something out :D_

_Enjoy! Xoxo. _

_P.S. I don't own CSI. _

* * *

A scuffed moan escaped her lips as she tried to make sense of what was going on. Her head throbbed with pain as she felt a warm liquid fall down her face. She blinked once, twice, only to feel her body slipping out of consciousness once again. Fight it, she bitterly told herself. She was aware that she was hurt. It seemed so easy to just listen to her body and let go. However, she was also aware that she needed to be conscious, to somehow gain the upper hand in whatever mess she was in. As she blocked out the pain, she blinked once more, fighting to regain some focus in her vision. This time it worked. As the blurry figures became solid, her drowsy blue eyes widened with fear. She was definitely not close in obtaining the upper hand in the situation. Suddenly, it all came back to her as tears started streaming down her face. She felt her heart shatter as she remembered his still body on the ground surrounded by a pool of blood.

With eyes wide open, she looked around the room. _Where was she? How long had she even been there? Did anyone know she was missing?_ She started to panic as these and a million more thoughts ran through her head. _Stop_, she demanded of herself. They had to know she was gone, they had to know something went wrong. She needed to think like a CSI not like a victim. The more she concentrated on a way to get out, the better. Her odds didn't look good but she knew better. She was conscious and the throbbing pain in her head started to lighten. The bleeding had also stopped, as well as the tears. Taking it as a good sign, she started to figure out what advantages she had. The fact that she was currently tied back to a pole was definitely not one of them but her arms were the only thing that were tied which had to count for something. Her mouth was not taped which was also a plus. For a minute she thought of screaming for help but where would that get her? She was sure no one would hear her and besides, if they were close by, they'd realize she was awake and what good would that do?

She was so focused on freeing herself that she didn't even notice the other person in the room until she hear a weak, "**Stop**."

She froze dead in her tracks. Could it be? Cautiously she looked up and tried turning back to face the voice that was coming from behind her. It sounded frail and hopeless, what she was able to make out when she turned was much worse than that. She squirmed around until she was able to put herself in a better position to get a better look. Less than a feet away, tied up in the same way she was, was a teenage girl who didn't even look human anymore. She had never met her in person but she'd always see her picture every time she went by his office and what her eyes were seeing, was definitely not the girl she was expecting to meet.

The girl that was trapped in the same room as her looked more like what remained of the once lively girl she once saw in pictures. Everything from her curly auburn hair to her bright smile, were gone. She look liked she had been to hell and back despite that it had only been two weeks since she had disappeared. Her body told a story of misery. She looked like she had not been fed since the day she was taken. Her skin looked liked it was sucked to her bones, it had a certain yellow tone to it. Aside from that, it was also decorated in multicolored bruises. All of them in different stages. Some healing, others fresh. Her bouncy natural curls were tangled up in knots. Frizz surrounded her face and it seemed to be three shades darker because of the dirt. Her clothes also suffered the same fate. They were just as dirty with holes poking out from every other inch. She had a deep gash one of her shoulders that was surrounded by crusted dry blood. Looking her straight in the eyes, she noticed deep bags and a ghostly expression staring back at her.

"**Don't**," the girl warned, "**It's best if you don't fight it, keep your energy you'll need it**."

A puzzled look came across the blondes face. "**No, Natasha, you don't understand, we have to get out of here**." Her face was now serious, she didn't have a doubt in her mind of what they needed to do. "**We need to find a way out and we need to do it no**w."

The puzzled one was now the teenage girl. She stumbled to find words as fear grew in her eyes. "**H-how do you know my name**?" She paused before asking, "**Who are you**?"

Even from where she was at, she could sense the fear and distrust in the young girls face and who could blame her really. "**Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you, I want to hel**p," she began to explain, "I **actually was helping before I got trapped in the middle of it. I'm part of the CSI team, I work with your cousin Greg, Natasha. My nam**-."

The sound of bullets being fired cut her off. Terrified they looked at each other as they heard a pair of footsteps approaching. She wasn't sure who was coming and quite frankly she wasn't sure if she wanted to know. She looked at the young girl and ordered her to do the only rational thing she could think of, "**Pretend to be unconscious**," she demanded.

* * *

_So there ya go! :D I hope you guys enjoyed it and I really hope you'll review cause I'll love you forever and I'll know if I should continue or not. I know it might have gotten a little confusing because of all the she's in it, since I didn't explain who that is but I promise you'll find out! I'm pretty sure you know who it is though. Also, the Natasha character I just made up. You'll learn more about her later. But remember, **REVIEW**. I really would like to have some feedback and suggestions are always welcome! _


	2. Chapter 2

_So I was thinking of holding off an writing a new chapter a little later but somehow I ended up with a lot of muse pond the words just started flowing out. Hopefully this clears the beginning chapter a little bit. Enjoy and review! :D_

_P.S. I don't own CSI._

* * *

_Two weeks earlier .._

"**You know, they say that if you take a picture, it'll last longer**." Greg Sanders turned around with flushed cheeks and annoyance to face his friend, Nick Stokes. A grin from ear to ear was plastered all over his face as his friend rolled his eyes.

"**You know, it's not very polite to creep up on someone**," he said in a scorning tone.

"**You know, it's not very polite to go stalking the sheriffs daughter**," he replied mocking his friend in the same tone.

Greg rolled his eyes as he let out a sigh. Nick was right though, it wasn't right for him to go around following Morgan Brody wherever she went. But things were easier said than done. Lately he found himself physically attracted to blonde, literally. Wherever she went, he followed. Some days she'd notice and they'd start up a conversation. Other days, she seemed to be off in her own world to not notice that he was practically a few feet away.

Lucky for him, today was one of those days. Morgan sat across the hall, only a few feet away from the men, enjoying herself some spoonfuls of peanut butter while doing who knows what on her phone. Whatever it was, it had her full attention, seeing as how she failed to notice the two men who were staring straight at her.

"**It's not what you think**," he said defending himself, "**I was jus**-"

Nick stopped him short, "**Greggo, it's alright man, you know I'm just messing with you**." He patted his friend on the back as the other man nodded in agreement.

"**Look, I know I told you to not even think about it and I know you know she's Ecklie's daughter but man, i also know how you feel towards her, so why not just ask her ****out**?"

Greg shook his head. Everybody knew how he felt towards her, even Morgan herself most likely. The only person who probably had been unaware was Conrad Ecklie but after the events that happened when Morgan had been in the medavic helicopter that had been hijacked, he doubted it. The anger he showed toward Samantha when they learned it was a set up and how guilty he felt of the whole thing was enough for a five year old to figure out. Greg had a major crush on Morgan.

However, Greg knew that there was more to the story than just that. Yes, he did like her but it wasn't just that. Ever since the day he met her, he knew she was different. She was beautiful, not only on the outside but inside as well. Along with that she was also funny, smart, sassy, kind .. In other words she was perfect. She had enough qualities to make a man fall to her feet but it wasn't just that. There was something else there and he knew it. The attraction he felt towards her wasn't just a crush, it was love. Yes, Greg Sanders was in love with Morgan Brody. Only too bad for him, she didn't return the feelings, or did she?

Greg was lost in that thought when he suddenly saw Nick's hand waving furiously in front of his fact. "**Uhh, hello? Earth to Gregory**?"

Greg jumped back in surprise, glaring at his friend. "**Man, I swear, sometimes I think you want to kill me**."

Nick laughed at his friends remark, "**You're the one in cloud nine**," he stated, "**I swear lately I have no idea where you go. Are you mentally planning on how you're go propose to her or something**?" he joked again.

"**Ha-ha, you know something Nick? If this whole CSI thing ever fails, you should try a career in comedy. You're just classic man**." He said with a sly grin as his friend returned the grin.

Nick's grin became a frown as his tone became serious, "**I know I probably shouldn't be saying this but I still think you should actually tell her how you feel instead of letting other people infer stuff and letting it get to her head. At least that way, you'll both know where you stand**."

Greg raised an eyebrow at his friend before the Texan responded with a shrug and walked away. Greg stayed there, frozen in place observing Morgan. Was it possible she felt the same way? No, it couldn't be. She made it clear that she wasn't interested in dating anyone in her team, she told him that. However she did ask if Nick was seeing anyone. Yet, that still didn't mean he had a chance with her, if anything it meant Nick did. What confused him the most was what happened when they were trying to solve Alison's case. The way she was there for him 100%, trying to make him feel better. How she told him how handsome and nice he is, basically telling him he was a great guy. She had even put her hand on top of his! What stumped him the most though, aside from her telling him it was time to move on was how she told him, "**_The best is yet to come._**"

Sure, they were song lyrics from one of Sinatra's songs but the way she said them, it was as she was implying something else but what? That she returned the feelings he had for her? No, that couldn't be possible. She probably said all those things to cheer him up but still he couldn't help wonder. It was crazy to think that she did but it was like part of him actually knew she did. That if he was to walk into that room and just kiss her, that'd she would most likely kiss him back.

Nick's advice played back in his head. He had nothing to lose, right? Aside from a perfectly good friendship of course. Declaring his love to her only for it to be rejected could make things beyond awkward. It could even mean that one of them would end up leaving. Greg didn't want to leave his team, they were his family, but he also didn't want her to walk out of his life. She had become a major factor in how much he enjoyed his day. Having her exit out of his life would crush him. He couldn't decide what was worse, keeping his feelings bottled inside or letting her walk out of his life?

Greg fidgeted around where he was standing, mentally arguing with himself. "**Greg .. Greg .. Greeeeeg**?" A voice filled with confusion brought him back into the real world. She was standing in front of him looking at him with those beautiful big blue eyes. "**Oh, h-hey Morgan**," he stammered. _Real smooth moron_, he thought wishing he could kick himself in the face. The blonde gave him a questioning looking before shrugging it off and laughing at his colleague.

"**Anyway**," she began asking, "**Are you waiting around for someone or do you usually make a habit of lurking around the hallways**?" Greg felt himself turning five different shades of red, he glanced down, avoiding eye contact.

"**I just, I-I have to go**," he said as he tried rushing down the hall. Just as he took flight, Morgan grabbed him by his right hand.

"**Wait**," she started, a concerned look grew in her eyes, "**Is everything alright**?" She didn't understand why Greg was acting like that. That wasn't the Greg she knew. He wasn't the kind of guy to avoid eye contact and run off, he was never at a loss of words, and right now it seemed like he'd rather be anywhere but with her. A frown formed on her lips. _Was it something she had said or done_? He did seem somewhat different lately but she hadn't given it much thought until now. Still holding on to his hand, she looked at him straight in the eye, "**Greg, what's wrong**?"

The moment he had grabbed him by the hand, he had felt sparks run and up his body. She had that power, to make him feel like no one else could. He tried not to focus on the fact that she was holding his hand. "**Yeah, I'm fine**," he assured her, "**I'm just a little tired, that's all**."

She wasn't buying it but she also wasn't going to push the subject. The last thing she needed was to annoy him. She enjoyed his company so much, being able to be in his company but her in a better mood and the last thing she wanted was to drive him away. She smiled, "**Okay**." It wasn't until now that she had acknowledged she still had him by the hand. Quickly but without much force, she pulled away. Putting the hand that was previously holding onto his on his shoulder she said, "**If you ever need anything, need to talk or need someone to listen, you know where to find me**."

Greg nodded and smiled as she returned the gesture and started to walk away. This time it was Greg who grabbed her hand. "**Wait**," he pleaded, "**I**** do need to talk to you, I need to tell you something**." It was now or never. She looked at him and nodded. Instead of pushing his hand away, he felt her grasp it a little tighter as she led him into the break room.

She let go once again as they walked in when she turned to face him. Her face looked calm but he could see a bit of curiosity in her eyes. "**Morgan, you know ho**-,"

"**Greg**," It was Russell, he had cut Greg off before he even had the chance to begin pouring his heart out to Morgan. Greg loved his supervisor, he was one of the best people he knew despite the fact that they'd only known each other for a few years. At the moment, however, Greg felt frustrated by his presence. It wasn't until he noticed the worried look in his eyes, that made Greg's stomach turn, that he knew something was wrong.

It's as if Russell sensed it because without missing a beat he looked at the CSI, "**Natasha, she's gone. Someone took her**."

Greg was so lost in what Russell had just said that it didn't even register that Morgan was now right behind him with her hand on his back.

He couldn't believe what he was hearing._ It wasn't possible, hadn't she'd been through enough_? Natasha was Greg's youngest cousin. She was sixteen and had recently moved to Las Vegas to live with his parents when her parents were killed in a car accident and they she was left in their custody. He knew how hard it had all been for her. One day, she had her everything and the next, she had nothing. Natasha had been the only survivor of the crash, that not only left her parents dead but also the couple that crashed into it. She had been the only one to walk away with a few minor scrapes and bruises. However, she would be the only one to remember it all. She had been conscious during the whole thing and usually had nightmares about it.

Greg distinctly remembered how he let her sleep over at his apartment a few weeks after she'd move to Las Vegas. How she seemed perfectly fine and happy until they went to bed. Half way through the night he heard Natasha screaming and ran to her aid. He found her in a corner of his room, arms wrapped around herself, while she was crying uncontrollably. It broke him to see the young girl in so much pain. Ever since that happened, he swore that he'd always be there to protect her. He made it a habit to see her at least three times a week and he'd usually take her out somewhere on his days off.

However, the past week had been different. He hadn't been able to check up on her or take her out. The team had become involved with solving a case of crimes and murders around the area. It wasn't until two days ago, that they finally had a suspect in custody that looked good for it all. Greg had meant to take Natasha out after that but then he was suddenly caught up with Morgan and he never had the chance. Guilt overcame him as he somehow found himself sitting down. "**H-how? Wh-what happened**?"

"**It happened about an half an hour ago, three bodies were found near Natasha's school. At first everyone thought she was one of the victims when they found her backpack along with the bodies but she wasn't one of the. It looks like there were five involved. Three that were found dead, two boys and one girl. Another girl was taken with Natasha, there was a note that was found with the bodies**," Russell pulled out his cellphone and started searching for something, he turned it so Greg and Morgan could read it: '_Let's play a game of hide and seek_.' It was written in what was most likely blood.

Fear crossed both of their faces, "**They were found on Asburn Ave.," Russell said, "We've determined that they are connected to the Ashburn Phantom**." Morgan winced as those words came out of Russell's mouth. The Ashburn Phantom was a murdered who for the past three weeks was reaking havoc on Ashburn Ave, a normally quiet and safe street that was located in the middle of Las Vegas. No one knew who he was and no one who had ever crossed paths with him, got out of it alive. He killed at night, his victims ranged from early twenties to late forties. No one knew what was the reason for the killings but he'd always leave some sort of message in blood. Everyone was advised to avoid the street at night, especially if they were on foot and alone, but no one had said anything about it being dangerous during the day.

They all knew about the murders but so far, the team, wasn't on the case, another shift had it. However, that all seemed to have changed. "**Sara and Finn are on scene right now, I'm about to leave with Nick. I want you two to stay here and analyze some evidence that's coming in**," Russell looked at Greg, "**I know you're worried kid but we'll find her**," he paused, "**Don't let your emotions get in the way, it'll only slow you down**." Russell looked up at Morgan, he didn't need to say anything for him to understand what he wanted her to do: to stay with Greg and help him with the case along with how he felt. "**We'll find her**," were Russell's last words before turning around and leaving Morgan and Greg in the silent room.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hi again :3 So I kinda decided to use to chapter for background information of the and as a starting point for the whole mystery? Anyway, I hope it makes sense and you guys enjoy it! Like always, I'd love some feedback so please review! And much to my dismay, I still don't own CSI. Boo._

* * *

The crime scene taped flashed a fluorescent yellow as Nick spotted Sara Sidle and Julie Finlay behind it. Jim Brass stood a couple of feet in front of the tape talking to a scruffy twenty something year old. He was pointing to something behind the tape as an officer that stood next to Brass, wrote something down.

"**What happened**?" asked Nick as he walked with Russell toward the crime scene. The CSI was only briefly aware of what was going on. He had previously been in his office, finishing off some paperwork of a case they had just solved when his supervisor knocked on his door, telling him that Sara and Finn needed them on scene. He had only been informed that it was a triple homicide and double kidnapping. Russell swore he'd give him full details once they arrive, the important thing was that they got to the crime scence stat. As they approached the crime scene, Russell stopped and turned to Nick. Russell hated to be the bearer of bad new but the man knew better.

He hesitated before starting, "**Like I said earlier, triple homicide and double kidnapping. All five are teenagers between the ages of fifteen and eighteen. There were two boys and three girls, both boys along with one of the girls are dead. The other two girls were kidnapped by our unsub. No one heard or saw anything despite it happening around lunch time," **he pointed to the man talking to Brass, "**The bartender called it in. He came across the bodies when he went out for a smoke during his break. He recognized one of the boys, said they live in the same neighborhood and his little brother was friends with our ****vic. Brass is going over to La Vista High School, once he's done with the bartender's statement, to see if he can identify the two other bodies or id they know what these kids were doing down here**." Nick nodded. He didn't understand why his supervisor was acting so weird, sure they were on a race against time to find the two missing girls but weren't they always? Almost as if he was reading the CSI's mind, he answered the unasked question. "**The two missing girls? One of them is Natasha Sanders**."

Nick felt like someone had punched him in the gut, he was speechless. Someone took Greg's little cousin? _No_. _No_! He refused to believe someone would intentionally hurt the young girl. During the time Nick had worked with Greg, he had come to learn a lot about her. The first time Greg had ever mentioned her was about eleven years ago back when Greg was still a lab rat. Nick still remembered it like it was yesterday. The team had been working hard to solve a murder that involved a case of swapped identities and they needed Greg to run a DNA test of a blood sample to figure out who committed the crime. He had been so in thought about the little girl's birthday, that he almost placed the crime on the wrong person. He had to run the test three times to ensure he was right. Nick was the only one who ever found out about it and swore to secrecy when Greg explained why he was so distracted. The young girl had been dropped off in Vegas for the weekend while her parents flew out for a business meeting. He knew she was upset that her parents wouldn't be spending her birthday with her, so to cheer her up, he promised her a birthday bash day of fun which did not include being stuck in a lab. Nick ended up assisting Greg and the case was solved in no time. Later that week, Greg showed him some pictures of their birthday adventure and as the years went on, Greg mentioned her now and again.

However, he hadn't had the pleasure of meeting her until recently when she moved in with Greg's parents when hers passed. He had invited him for dinner at a pizza parlor not too far from the crime lab. The Natasha he met that evening was definitely not the one he was expecting to me. She had grown into her looks, looking more like a woman that a girl. She was bright and always kept a smile on her face. Like her cousin, she was also extremely friendly and funny. She wasn't quiet or moody, nor did she look like the typically acne prone sixteen year old, he usually ran into. She was definitely different, something special. Nick couldn't imagine why someone would want to hurt someone like that.

"**Does Greg know**?" He asked worried. He knew his friend wouldn't react well to the news. Greg easily grew emotional when someone he cared for was in grave danger. He recalled how tormented he became when Morgan had been kidnapped, as well as how much Alison Bailey's murder had affected him. Sure, Greg was a great CSI. One of the best Nick had ever seen but once someone he cared about got stuck in between, it took a lot for his friend to screw his head back together and think straight.

Russell nodded, "**I told him before I came to get you. I left him with Morgan to process some evidence that's coming in. I don't want him anywhere near here, the last thing we need is for him to unravel. As far as we know, Natasha is still alive, both girls are until otherwise proven**."

Nick couldn't help but agree. He tried not to worry about him too much. He had Morgan to comfort him and help him with the evidence. As far as he knew, Greg's crush on Morgan was one sided, but it didn't mean she didn't care. He knew they were good friends and she wasn't about to let Greg drown in worry and negative thoughts.

Nick took a glance at the crime scene. He needed to put Greg and Natasha out of his mind. He couldn't make it personal. That never helped, it only slowed them down. Instead, he tried looking at it again, with a new pair of eyes. This time with no personal connection to the victim or her relatives. "**Anything else I need to know**?" he asked. Russell shook his head, "**Sara and Finn will be able to tell us more**," he replied as Sara waved at them to come over.

Reminding himself to not let it get to him, he walked over to Sara with Russell. As they crossed the yellow tape, Sara looked at them with a scowl. She had a camera in her hand and it looked like she had just finished taking some pictures. All three of them looked down at the first victim, it was a young boy; tan skin, short cropped hair, about six feet tall, he looked healthy and in shape. His white polo was covered in blood caused by his throat being slit from ear to ear.

"**Amir Acosta**," explained Sara, "**Eighteen. Lived with both parents and a younger sister near Henderson. The bartender was able to ID him, he's the only one so far. Says he was a bright young man. Athletic and intelligent. Golden boy**."

Russell nodded, recognizing him, "**Charlie talked to me about him before. WLVU and UNLV were practically at war for this kid. They both offered him full ride scholarships. WLVU wanted him to star as their linebacker, UNLV wanted him to join their medical program. Jock with a 4.0 GPA**."

Both Sara and Nick looked at him with questioning looks somewhat impressed. "**Anything else we need to know about him**?" asked Sara. Russell shrugged, "**That's all I know**."

"**I'm just about done processing him. Doc will be able to tell us more once he's taken into autopsy**," she informed them as zipped up his body, ready for it to be taken to Doc and David.

They walked over to Finn who was collecting something from under the second boys fingernails. "**He fought back**," she said, "**Hopefully, he left us a clue to who is killer is**."

She stood up from where she was crouching down. "**John and Jane Doe. No backpack, no purse, no ID, no nothing**," she sighed, "**Hopefully, once Brass goes to the school, we'll have an idea of who they are. I doubt they'd be in the system but we should check either wa**y."

Both Nick and Russell nodded, they observed the boys body for a couple of minutes before moving on to the girls. "**I don't get it**," Nick said as he bent down to examine the girl, "**The MO is consistent up until the girl**." They looked down at her lifeless body. While the two boys along with the previous victims all had their throats slit, she was stabbed to death.

"**More like tortured**," said a voice behind Nick, it was Sara, "**How did no one hear her scream**?" Sara was now on her knees next to Nick. They were both examining the lifeless body. Her throat was intact, unlike the other victims. Her death was messy, unorganized. She had stab wounds up and down her body, the only place that was clear of any harm was her face. Nick counted at least twenty five stab wounds, Sara just as much. "**Overkill**," stated Finn. It was true but why?

Everything surrounding the case made little to no sense and they knew it. "**Aside from that, what I don't get is how five teenagers managed to wound up in this situation. Especially two athletic boys who could have easily escaped.**"

There were so many questions and so little clues. "**There's one more thing**," Finn said as Nick and Sara stood up. "**The missing girls**," Russell finished.

They all followed Finn out of the crime scene to where their SUV was parked. She opened the back of the car, where two bins were filled with evidence. Finn picked up three bags to show to her team. She raised the first two for them to see. They were two student ID's.

Nick recognized the first one with a picture of an auburn hair girl with a bright smile, _Natasha_. Nobody said anything, Finn didn't need to explain. Although Nick was the only one who had actually met her in person, they all knew who she was. They all knew her story and they'd all seen the picture Greg had of her in his office. Moments passed before Finn spoke as she placed Natasha's ID back in the bin. She showed them the second ID. "**Abigail Reynolds. Fifteen. Freshman at La Vista High School. Ecklie's on his way to notify her parents as we speak**." With that said, she put Abigail's ID back I'm the bin. With hesitation, she showed them the last piece of evidence she had been holding on to. It was the note Russell had showed Greg and Morgan. '_Lets play a game of hide and seek it_,' it couldn't help but feel shivers as she read the note. It seemed sinister and eerie.

"**We need to take it back to the lab**," Russell ordered, "**We need to find out whose blood it is and if it will lead us to our missing girls. Nick, you go with Brass to the high school and see what you can find out. Finn, I want you in autopsy, once Doc and David are done with the three, I want you to notify us ASAP. Sara, you and I are going to go back to the station and see if there are any links, anything that can help us solve the case," **the tone in his voice changed to a more cautious one, "**Whoever this is, we need to put an end to their rampage once and for all**."


	4. Chapter 4

Morgan stood near the doorway of the room, arms wrapped around her chest, as she watched silently over Greg. A little over twenty minutes had gone by since Russell came in and neither of them had been able to say a word. Greg kept pacing across the break room, his hands buried deep in his pockets, as Russell's voice kept playing in his head.

"_Natasha, she's gone. Someone took her_."

As hard as he tried, he still couldn't make sense of it. How was it that his cousin was gone? That someone had taken her and another girl while leaving three others dead? He felt tears well up in his eyes as stopped near the table, grabbing onto a chair. He look down, not wanting to meet Morgan's stare. Rage suddenly overcame him as he grabbed the chair and sent it flying across the room. He didn't realize what he'd done until he heard Morgan gasp when the chair crashed into the wall.

The fear he saw in her eyes as she covered her mouth, made all the rage inside him disappear. Shock invaded the blonde as she tried coming up with words. As much as she understood why Greg had suddenly snapped, she did not, in any way, condone it. Her lips trembled as she looked away from him, instead focusing on the chair that was flipped upside down.

Greg looked at Morgan with concern as he walked toward her. "**Morgan, I'm sorry, I didn't meant to startle you. It's just that I started thinking of where she could be or wha-**." Morgan stopped him before he could even try explaining the thoughts that were running through his head. She shook her head as she looked at him with watery eyes, "**I-I can't, I-I'm sorry**," she stuttered out before spinning around and dashing down the hallway.

Paralyzed, he watched as the blonde fled down the hall. _What in the world was that about_? Never in the time he had known Morgan had he seen her act so strange. Sure, she had been quiet since Russell came in with the news but there was a fine line with her knowing there was nothing to say as opposed to her running away from him. Greg knew it wasn't right to not trail afterward but something inside him stopped him. It was as if the only way his body could go running after her was if his brain figured out why she had reacted the way she did.

Burying his hands in his pockets again he started pacing around, replaying the previous scene, trying to look for a clue. It was the throwing of the chair that was to blame for Morgan's change. The moment when it slammed against the wall was when she became a completely different person. Had she been angry that he took his frustration out on a chair? Was it the fact that he hadn't been able to say anything that suddenly caused her to shift? No. It couldn't have been that. She didn't look angry, the look in her face was pure ..

Greg stopped in the middle of the room. The look in Morgan's face .. It was fear. Seconds before Morgan ran off, right when she stopped him, when she looked at him while holding back tears. She wasn't crying because she had been angry or frustrated, those tears had been caused by fear. _Had Morgan been afraid that his rage was gonna escalate_? _That he'd take out his pain on something else, or worse someone else_? _Someone like her_?

_No, it couldn't be. _Greg followed her footsteps as he raced out of the room, desperate to find Morgan. About ten minutes later and searching in every possible corner, he made his way outside. Sure enough, sitting on a bench near the entrance of the crime lab was Morgan. She sat on the corner, arms wrapped around herself, as she sobbed.

"**Morgan**?" she ignored him, instead, she hugged herself a little tighter. "**Morgan**," he repeated as he found himself walking toward the bench. She looked up for about a second before letting her head drop. It pained him to see her like that. One of the things he loved about her was how, despite the situation, she always managed to smile. As he sat next to her, he placed his hand over hers. Instead of calming her, it seemed to break her even more.

It took everything in him to not start crying with her. Instead, he pulled her in, securing his arms around her. Minutes passed as they sat there, in silence once again. She sobbed quietly with the occasional sniffing while he stroked her blonde hair. He leaned in, kissing her head, "**It's alright, you're safe with me. I won't let anyone hurt you**," he whispered.

She pulled away, surprise washed over her. "**How did you kn**-," he stopped her, not wanting to hear those words coming out of her mouth. Greg shook his head as he leaned in wiping away her tears, "**The look in your eyes said it all**."

She stayed silent for a second before finding words to say, a small sad smile formed on her lips. Just as she was about to say something, he beat her to it. "**You don't .. We don't have to talk about this Morgan**."

She shook her head, "**I want to. I need to**."

He gently grabbed her by the hand, as she sighed, "**Remember ****_beautiful blonde, sunny SoCal .. How I must have loved it_**?"

Greg nodded, of course he did. Those were the words he had said to Morgan while they were investigating the crime scene at Super Dave's high school reunion. Greg had teased her about how easy her high school years must have been like. At the time, Morgan let him assume it was true and Greg had completely missed the uncomfortable look in her face.

"**Well, sunny SoCal, wasn't as sunny as it seemed**," she hesitated before continuing, avoiding Greg's concerned look, "**I took up cheerleading once I started high school, after the divorce. My mom insisted on an after school activity to take my mind off things. I hated it at first but I grew fonder of it as time passed and I discovered I was pretty good. I was captain by senior year. Aside from the divorce, life was pretty much perfect**," she smile for a moment before sadness took over, "**That's when ****_he_**** came into my life**. **Transfer student from Texas, leading quarterback, everyone fell in love with him from the moment he stepped foot in the school hallways. He had that southern charm that made everyone fall under his spell. Anyway, we started dating a few weeks after despite how I swore I'd never fall in love. He was different, I didn't need to worry about him abandoning me like I felt my dad did," **her eyebrows knitted together, **"The first few months were perfect and then one day, it all changed. At first it was little things, like some off hand comment about my appearance. Then, he became more possessive, he would constantly call to know where I was or he'd accused me of cheating. I shrugged it all off at first but it kept getting worse and worse**."

She stopped, finally looking at him. "**The reason I got so upset when I saw you like that was because it reminded me of the first time he, well, hit me. We had just gotten back to his house after the championship game and the first thing he did when we walked in was send a chair flying. It freaked me out a little but I just watched him. He started yelling at me. Blaming me for the loss of the team, saying I hadn't supported him enough. I tried defending myself, I told him I wasn't his personal cheerwhore. That's when he lost it. He struck me across the face**," tears fell down her face again, "**He hit me so hard that I fell and when I tried getting up, he just started kicking me. When he was done he just left me there. The next day at school, he a acted like nothing had happened. He didn't actually say it but I knew that if I tried telling someone, that he'd make me pay. So I stayed with him out of fear and it got worse after that. It wasn't until I ended up in the hospital, that it all came to an end**."

Greg looked at her with pure horror, not wanting to believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. "**It was right after prom, we were arguing again, or rather he was. I didn't want to listen to him anymore so before he could try to lay a hand on me, I ran out of his room. He ran after me and caught me by the hair as I reached the stairs. I don't really remember what happened after that but I ended up in a hospital bed with cuts and bruises all over my body and a broken rib cage**." Greg pushed a strand of hair out of her face, looking for a familiar scar he'd seen. "**The reminder of what he did**," she said as she touched it, "**News that he was abusing me went around. He was sent to juvie and I was sent to the bottom of the food chain. I lost my spot as captain, my friends, my social life. People started rumors about how I was faking it all. Everyone was so mean to me after that**," she smiled, "**That's how I ended up here. I stopped caring about all that stuff and focused on something I loved and was passionate about. I put all my energy and time into being where I am now.**"

"**Morgan, I'm so sorry, I didn't know, I didn't, I**," Greg was speechless, he was astonished at what she had just confessed to him. Never in a million years would he have guessed that she would have been a victim of violence; she was probably the last person he would have guessed to be a victim.

Morgan shook her head, "**It's alright, it's not your fault. Besides, that's part of the past not my present**," she smiled, "**I'm just glad I was able to get that off my chest. I'm glad you were the one I told this to**."

"**Does that mean your dad doesn't know**?"

"**Aside from my mom and those I went to high school with, no. No one really knows about that. Not even my step dad or my team in California. It's not something I can easily talk about. I try to block as much as I can**."

"**Did you ever talk to someone about what happened or go to therapy**?"

"**Like a shrink**?"

Greg shook his head, the last thing he wanted was to make her feel uncomfortable. "**No. Just to anyone. Just to let it all out. I guess what I'm trying to say is if you ever tried talking to someone to get closure**?"

"**I tried, it only made me feel worse**."

"**Have you ever considered trying it again**?"

"**Talk to a stranger about my abusive ex? No thanks**."

"**I meant with someone you know, someone like me. Morgan, I'm here for you. If you ever need something or want to talk or anything. I'm here, I'll always be here**."

She smiled, that was all she needed to hear. To know that she had him to rely on, that he'd listen or be her shoulder to cry on, as well as to protect her - it made her feel complete. "**I know**."

Moments passed as the two stayed silent. Hand in hand, they both looked up to the distance. "**Greg**?"

"**Yeah**?"

"**Natasha? She's gonna be okay. We're gonna find her and when we do, she'll talk to you about it and you'll be there for her, just like you're here for me. She'll be okay. She's smart and strong, she'll find a way out and if not, we'll find one for her**."


End file.
